Emily married Richard Sterling, a wealthy older man, in a grand palace ceremony that felt more like a transaction than a celebration. Her parents were proud—they had traded her future for security. Richard was polite but distant, and that first night, he made one chilling request: never enter his study.
He was kind but often absent, and the servants offered no answers. One day, Emily saw an ambulance at the mansion—Richard had collapsed in his study. Inside, she glimpsed a black-and-white photo of a young woman who looked just like her. After his recovery, Emily asked about the study. He gave no explanation. Curiosity eventually won. When he was away, she entered. Among books and old letters, she found the same photo. On the back: “My beloved Isabella. 1978.”
